Focus on real issues facing Congress

For some reason, Mayor Keith Pekau's campaign for the Illinois 6th Congressional District seat has been flooding my TV shows with their ads. Apparently, they want to tell me Rep. Sean Casten is conspiring to raise the inflation rate and doing everything that scores low with their focus groups.

I'm sure the ads appeal to Pekau's fans, Casten is no more responsible for high inflation in IL6 than Pekau is for high inflation in Orland Park.

Inflation is a global problem affecting all governments across the political spectrum. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a major driver of inflation today. Mostly due to the banning of Russian oil imports and Russia disrupting grain exports from Ukraine. Also, the manufacturing sector is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Which means there's high demand for products and low supply. Plus, we're going to be hit with higher OPEC oil prices.

Casten can't turn a knob to lower prices, but he has taken steps to help combat inflation. Among them, he's voted to cap insulin prices for Medicare recipients. He's also voted to give Medicare the ability to negotiate for lower prescription prices.

Pekau is representing the Republican Party, which has no plan to fight inflation. Eliminating Social Security, Medicare, attacking transgender people, nationwide abortion bans, allowing rich people to buy their way out of jail, and whitewashing an insurrection attempt will not lower prices.

High inflation is a global problem. Electing a Cook County politician like Pekau is not the answer. Reelecting Casten is a step in the right direction for the Sixth District and our country.

William Brinkman

Palatine